Come Rain or Come Shine
by OSUSprinks
Summary: My first Ron and Hermione fic, written for a contest at the Hideaway. Fifteen years after they first met, they have just had their first child. This is Ron having a little talk with his boy.


_A/N: My very first Ron and Hermione story, well really my first time posting anything but Albus and Minerva. Written for a contest at the Hideaway! Thanks for reading. OSUSprinks_

_Disclaimer: A different couple and they are still not mine, so sad. The song has been sang often and by many, but I was thinking of Bette Midler's version from the movie For The Boys._

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As his wife began to sing softly to their tiny son, Ron thought over his life's achievements. They had been through many trials in the last fifteen years and sometimes it amazed him that he had survived. Even with all the awards and plaques he had received, which Hermione had insisted be hung in his study, Ron still counted her love as his greatest achievement. He didn't understand how she could love him, but she did and he was thankful each day for her. He had been in love with her almost as long as he could remember, and yet it still amazed him that she picked him. 

He watched Hermione stand carefully, trying not to disturb the small babe in her arms. When he woke and began to cry again, Ron walked over to his wife and wrapped an arm around her slumped shoulders.

"Mione, Love, why don't you get some shuteye? I'll stay up with the little guy."

"Are you sure?" Her response was part eagerness and part disbelief. As he nodded his head, Ron made a mental note to offer her help more often.

"Yes, love. Go to sleep."

She kissed him deeply, more out of gratitude than passion he surmised with an inner-smile, before rattling off "The List" as he had begun to call it.

Even after all they had been through, Hermione was still Hermione. She still knew best, and once they had gotten beyond homework, she hadn't minded sharing her wealth of knowledge. The problem was she didn't know when to stop and often found herself repeating things to him daily, and so "The List" had been born. She had been working on stopping herself, but Ron still had most of it memorized.

"He doesn't like to be rocked too fast. Rub his back clock-wise; he rests easier that way. And don't forget-"

"-his Hungarian Horntail night light from Charlie. Yes, I know." He smiled as he watched her realize what she had been doing.

"'The List' again." She laughed. "I guess old habits die hard."

He smiled wider and took the baby, who was now wide awake and attempting to pull his mother's loose, long, bushy hair.

"It's fine, love. Go to sleep and don't worry. We Weasley men have everything under control."

Hermione smiled again and gave both father and son a kiss on the cheek. "Good night," she whispered as she left, pausing only to flip on the night light.

"Well, it's just you and me, Ethan my boy." Ron settled down into the rocking chair Hermione had vacated and began to rock his son, not too fast and not too slow. Ethan, meanwhile, was babbling away in that curious way babies tend to do. The words to Hermione's song came back to Ron as they rocked. He began to talk to Ethan in a soothing voice as he rubbed his back, clockwise, of course.

_I'm gonna love you like nobody's loved you,  
Come rain or come shine.  
High as a mountain, deep as a river,  
Come rain or come shine._

"You know, I've always thought of your mother as my greatest gift and achievement, Son, but I think you may surpass her. Your mum and I will always be your number one fans, Ethan. I will always love you. I'm sure there will be times when we will argue and disagree. You'll make mistakes and Merlin knows I'll make mistakes, not to mention I am known for my temper. But please, don't ever doubt that I love you, my son. I will, till the end of time."

_And I guess when you met me_

_It was just one of those things._

_But don't ever bet me,_

'_cause I'm gonna be true if you let me, let me._

"Why am I telling you this now, when it means practically nothing, because you can't understand me? Well, because it is important for you to know. Believe it or not, not all sons know if their fathers love them. I don't mean me, of course, or any of your uncles. Grandpa Arthur always told all of us he loved us, and I know he'll tell you as well. I just took it for granted that sons always knew that about their fathers.

"But what about people like Malfoy? He spent his whole wretched life seeking his father's approval, even died for it, but it never came." Ron leant close to Ethan's ear and spoke in a quieter voice, "Now this is between me and you. Do _not_ tell your mother, but I really felt sorry for Draco one I realized what his life was like. Not that he would ever admit it, of course. And, not _I_ actually figured it out. That was all your mother's doing, as usual. But then, that is another story.

"The point it, I love you, Son and I want us to be the best of friends."

_You're always gonna love me like nobody's loved me,  
Come rain or come shine.  
Happy together, unhappy together,  
And won't it be fine?_

"I hope that I will earn your friendship, trust and love. Though I'm sad to admit it now, there were times I was ashamed of my father. Grandpa Arthur didn't have the most prestigious job when I was growing up. He was always obsessed with all things Muggle, still is as you will soon find out, and not afraid to show it. And this at a time when even those wizards who _didn't_ want to murder them, didn't really care what else became of Muggles. Your Grandpa stood up for what he believed in and although I didn't realize it at the time, he was very brave. I didn't always know how much prejudice he faced because he tried to understand Muggles and help them, but I do now and I'm proud to be his son.

"I hope one day I can make you as proud of me. I'll do my best."

_Days may be cloudy or sunny.  
We're in or we're out of the money.  
But I'm with you always.  
I'm with you rain or shine._

"Ethan, I can't promise that we will always agree, but I do promise that I will always listen to you. You may not have the best of everything, but you'll never want for the important things. I will always be here for you. Anytime you need me, I'll be there, always."

Ron looked down and realized his son was asleep. He carefully laid him down in his crib and tiptoed out of the nursery and into his bedroom.

Hermione lay on their bed, curled into a ball. At first he thought she was asleep until he heard a sniff and saw her wipe away tears.

"Mione, what is it?" He lay down next to her, wrapping his arms around her, blankets and all.

"Nothing. It's just that I heard what you said to Ethan. The monitor was on." She turned over, throwing the blankets off and slipping into his arms. "That was beautiful."

Ron hugger her closer, enjoying the contact and the moment of peace, both of which had been few and far between since Ethan's birth. "I was just thinking of that song you were singing him earlier and I started talking."

"I sing that song to him because it reminds me of us."

"Especially the 'days may be cloudy or sunny' part."

"Ronald!" She playfully slapped his chest before kissing him lightly. "Actually I meant the 'I'm with you rain or shine' line."

"Ah," was his only response as he returned the kiss, more deeply than their first. Hermione's arms were just making their way around his neck when they heard Ethan begin to cry.

"I'll go."

"No, Ron, it's okay. I think he's hungry this time and you can't do much about that."

Ron watched as Hermione hurriedly threw on her dressing gown and left the room. He moved to his side of the bed and rolled over to his side, determined to sleep a bit, so he could take the next shift if there was one. He was almost asleep when he heard Hermione's voice through the monitor. She was singing again, this time, he was sure it was for all three of them.

_Days may be cloudy or sunny._

_We're in or we're out of the money._

_But I'm with you always._

_I'm with you rain or shine._

_Rain or shine._

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_A/N: Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed!_


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